MAB86 – Thank you for the review :-) I really apperciate it. I hope you enjoy this story as well as the last one :-) . I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter and how I've depicted Jean. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well .

A couple of notes, the bar is from a story from classic X-Men, as is the story Logan remembers here. The incident with Storm and Wolvie investigating the burnt out house of Sara Grey takes place in Uncanny X-Men 215, not long after the Mutant Massacre and the attack of the Marauder Malice. Logan's reaction to Warren (Archangel) is essentially just how he reacted his new scent, or his wing's scent, during the Inferno storyline, I'm just building on that. Also there is a slight nod to X-Men: the Last Stand (no I don't hate the movie and think Famke Jansen did deliver a legitmately terrifying Dark Phoenix) if you catch it.

Besides that, I hope everyone reading enjoys the chapter :-).

Chapter 2

Logan was sat at a corner table with his back against the wall of a bar located in the Chelsea circle of Manhattan, his coat on the chair behind him. Not one of his personal choices, and this bar least of all.

Not after the last time he was here.

It had been years ago, just after he'd joined the X-Men. He'd had instinctively looked at the spot just outside the bar where that girl Francie had died before he'd come in. Logan and the bartender had body found just outside the bar, her throat ripped out.

Logan had only ever known her name because the bartender back then had called it out in shock and horror when he saw her torn and bloody body.

Just another one to add to the collateral damage of Creed's vendetta against him. Just some other poor stranger dying in uncomprehending fear and pain, just to get at him.

A young woman who should have had allot more summers coming to her, killed just to remind Logan no one was ever safe around him.

Logan guessed he'd internalised that lesson all to well. Given the asshole reckoned he was his father, probably saw it as some sick parental duty.

Logan sure as hell hoped that wasn't true, though given their near identical mutations and similar backgrounds it was always possible. Thanks his patchy memory before he'd been found by Mac and Heather Hudson, Logan had no way of knowing either way.

Remembering Francie now, it seemed to confirm the view Logan had held ever since Mariko had been killed, that it was better for him to stay away from everyone as much as possible.

That it had been better for everyone when it had been just him, with nobody else to depend on and nobody depending on him.

No else at risk but himself.

But a voice within said that thought was a lie. That maybe it had been a simpler life, but even then bystanders like Francie would still get hurt.

The voice, that sounded suspiciously like Jean's, added that rabid madmen like Sabretooth were always going to kill innocents for their own twisted and sadistic reasons. If it wasn't to attack Logan or any of the X-Men personally or psychologically, it would be for any number of other related reasons, including the pure sadistic pleasure they took in the suffering and death of others.

Creed and others would have killed more people if Logan hadn't been there, hadn't been part of the X-Men. If he'd hadn't been prepared to change, to allow others in, many more lives would have been lost. The Morlocks and Betsy he'd saved from Sabretooth, Kitty Pryde he'd saved from Ogun, both life and soul, young Natasha during World War II. He helped rescue the X-Men from the Hellfire Club and the Brood, Jubliee, Jessica Drew, Lindsey McCabe, Archie, O'Donnell and Tyger Tiger, so many alive because he'd been prepared to change, the voice argued, because he'd become part of their lives.

He and the rest of the X-Men had saved each other's lives more times than any of them could count.

Times he would have died, and people he cared about would have died, if it hadn't been for his friends and loved ones, flashed across his mind. Kitty would have been lost without Yukio, Mariko before their wedding if Rogue hadn't risked her life and nearly died. And they all would probably perished in that shuttle if Jean put her life on the line, and lost a big chunk of her life for the pleasure.

Then there were those times Logan had been doing his own thing, such as being involved in the happenings of Madripoor as Patch, so he wasn't there in 'Ro absence to lead the X-Men. That lead them into the situation that had forced Betsy to make the X-Men to use the Siege Perilous to escape Pierce, leading to situations some were still dealing with. By not being involved and there for them then had cost them.

Many more people would have died if Logan had never tried to change. To take the risk to share his life with others and to be a willing to be a part of theirs.

To have friends, family.

Even love.

Creed hated that Logan dared to be different then he was, that Logan tried to be more than he was. That he'd never given himself over to urgings of the beast and become a sadistic killer like Creed himself.

For Sabretooth, Logan's very existence was a rebuke. Proof he could have been different, better than he was.

In the end it was why Creed hated him so much. He was a mirror that showed Creed what a failure he really was, and he'd never forgiven Logan for it. More than just killing him, Sabretooth wanted to pull Logan down into the filth with him.

And ever since M'iko's death, Logan had been letting it happen, without Creed even having anything to do with it.

Ever since Jean had come to see him out by the lake, everything she'd said to him had been going round and round in his head.

Jean's words were like a powerful burst of fresh air brushing aside the thick cobwebs of guilt and blame that had been suffocating his heart and mind, twisting and distorting his thoughts like a fair ground mirror.

Maddened by grief it had all seemed so reasonable, so right. But at some level Logan had always known it wasn't really true, deep down. Otherwise he'd never have re-joined the X-Men. He'd never have allowed Kitty, Rogue or Jubliee to get as close as they had. Would never have backed 'Ro during those hard times after Charlie had left, even leading the X-Men in her absence.

Jean had just thrown the curtains open on his mind, letting the sunlight in, forcing Logan to face the truth at last. He'd tried to deny what she'd said to him that night, but he wasn't able to. He'd never shied away from truth, at least not when it had been shoved right in front of his face.

It had hit him like a Mach truck, but Logan knew as soon as Jean said it, she was right. He had dishonoured M'iko and their marriage all these years, making the worst kind of monument to it. He had hurt and neglected the people he loved and cared for over it, and made M'iko the reason for it.

He'd seen it as he'd paid more attention in the following days. Despite all the problems and issues getting a version of his abilities and attitude was causing Kitty, just how happy and even grateful she seemed to be able to spend so much time with him, as Logan had spent more time with her again like they'd used to.

He'd got a similar sense from Rogue when he'd played a game of pool with her yesterday, or had gone down to see Jubes at the new campus in western Massachusetts Chuck had set up for both the returning New Mutants and a second class beginning with Jubliee. Even to the looks of surprise on 'Ro, Kurt and Petey's faces when he had stopped by for breakfast one morning.

It had all left Logan feeling like the world's biggest asshole, and the fact he'd used Mariko to justify it all left a sense of shame that pieced him right through to his heart.

The last time Logan had felt that bad was when Shingen had manipulated him into shaming himself in front of M'iko.

But unlike then, Logan couldn't just retreat back into the wild and reckless life where he'd didn't care for anyone or anything, becoming nothing more than a animal. Not after everything that had happened then and since then.

Logan wouldn't, couldn't, dishonour M'iko further like that. Couldn't dishonour her belief in him like that. Nor could he continue to fail Kitty, Kurt, Jubes, Betts, Petey or any of the others as he had been doing.

And definitely couldn't betray Jean's faith in him.

And that meant Logan finally had to finally face the real reason he'd been keeping everyone he cared about at arms length. It all been to protect himself from the pain of potentially losing them. Logan had stopped really living to avoid the kind of wounds his healing factor couldn't do anything about.

Simply put, he, the Wolverine, was scared shitless.

Scared of letting anyone in again, scared of being hurt again.

But in this life there wasn't any joy without the risk of sorrow, no love without the possibility of loss.

He could either get busy living, or he could get busy dying.

Logan had tried that. Back when Pierce crucified him, and he'd been hanging on that cross for days as they tortured him. He'd welcomed it, the release from the fear that gripped him. But something inside him wouldn't let him do it. The X-Men had needed him, and he'd failed them once already. Then he had to take care of Jubliee and Betts and find the rest of the X-Men.

Then there had been Genosha, when Logan had really thought he was going to buy the farm. And he'd felt free for the first time in ages. Free of all his fears, free to embrace what he felt for Jeannie.

But he hadn't died.

So if he wasn't going to die, that meant he had to get busy living.

Logan had begun to take small steps in the right direction.

Oh the while avoiding the biggest risk to his heart.

Logan wasn't sure what he was going to do about Jeannie.

Flowing, silky red hair and emerald green eyes flashed across his mind once again.

As always, even when his focus should be on the here and now, Jeannie was always in his thoughts.

Jean had captivated him the first moment he'd laid his eyes upon her. Mesmerizing emerald eyes set within an exquisitely beautiful face, hair like flame with a spirit to match, warm and generous, passionate and fiery, feminine yet with an underlying strength.

Jeannie was the first to call him friend and his heart was hers before he even knew it.

Still, in a way it had been easier then. Though Logan could sense she was attracted to him, she'd chosen Scott, and remained faithful to him. With her leaving the mansion Logan had been able to keep those feelings safely corralled, and then bury them for the most part.

Had even seemed safer that way. Loving from a distance meant you couldn't easily be harmed either. Or so it had seemed till Jeannie's apparent death when Phoenix fell. Then the hurt had been all too real. The only thing that had saved him then had been the fact he'd reclaimed his unrequited heart somewhat and given it to M'iko instead.

Then, Logan had caught her scent at the ruined remains of her sister's house, when 'Ro and he had gone to investigate. Logan had caught the scents of Jean and Scott, and it had been the first hint Jeannie was still alive.

It had dragged up memories and feelings long buried, that Logan hadn't wanted to remember. Logan couldn't accept it then, particularly after Mariko.

And coming just after the Marauder Malice had been possessing the X-Men in turn, leading Logan to almost kill 'Ro even when she hadn't been possessed, he had felt he could even trust his senses and instincts anymore. Finding Jean's fresh scent then had driven him feral for a while, accidental striking 'Ro in his panic and leaving her in a bad situation before he came to his senses.

Then Logan had seen her, alive and whole, as though returned from the dead. His heart had stopped for a moment, his brain shorting out as Logan had just stared at Jean in disbelief. And then, as Jean's beautiful, expressive eyes had locked with his own, with a whirlwind of emotions mirroring his own swirling behind them, hope blazed unstoppably, against all his better judgement, at life in his heart. Before Logan even knew what he was doing, he'd pulled Jean into a tight embrace, intense gratitude and relief overcoming him.

For a perfect moment Jeannie was in his arms like she belonged there. Her silky hair caressing him, her soft body pressed against his and her intoxicating feminine scent, overwhelming him, all those feelings he buried long ago burst forth like a dam breaking, flooding his heart again.

It turned out that Logan had never claimed his heart back. It had just been loaned out for a time, and it's owner had just reclaimed it whether she knew it or not.

Then, seeing emotions he dared not name then playing in Jean's eyes, Logan had begun to lean in to kiss her before he'd realized what he was doing and broke off. He'd retreated as far as he could from her, his fears reasserting themselves, making him determined to keep as much distance as possible between them.

That fact that he was in love with her had only made Logan all the more determined. Logan had loved her from afar before, he do it again.

And that had been fine, with Jeannie in X-Factor he never really had to see her. And swept up in other events he could ignore the fire burning inside of him.

Then Genosha and that kiss had happened.

He been weakened and confused, and Logan had known he was dying. He didn't seem to have to hold himself back anymore, and so had given himself over to the kiss when it had happened.

Problem was he hadn't died, and it had felt like Jeannie had branded herself into him.

Thoughts of fiery, gossamer hair and emerald eyes, of Jeannie's perfect, soft body, her smile, her rich, musical laughter and voice filled both his waking and dreaming moments.

What was between them had been unleashed like a bolt of lightning, as they lost themselves in each other in a maelstrom of passionate desire and other emotions Logan hadn't want to acknowledge coming from Jean.

It had left him shaken.

Throughout the rest of that experience, one why or another, outside a forced battle with Warren, he'd been together with Jeannie. And after being cut to ribbons in his battle with Warren, healing factor deactivated, and then the damage they both from a battle with Hodge, healing factor now slow and acting up, they had ended up in each others arms.

None of which had helped matters.

Only fighting, being at death's door half the time, and then separating after that prevented Logan's resolve to keep his distance from breaking completely.

Then Jean and the rest of the originals had come back, and it was like a new exquisite form of torture had been found, designed just for him. Her distinctively feminine scent, wild rose with a hint of spice, like the taste of cinnamon in apple pie, with undercurrent of something indescribable, whispering to him of wild and unconstrained passion, filled now filled the mansion. It had caused Logan to become hyper sensitive, inflaming his desire. It stirred the animal within to want to claw his way free to hunt her down, claim her, mate with her. Logan had bit back many a growl, startling any that were around him, as the man firmly forced the beast within back into it's place.

And then there were the moments Logan was in Jeannie's presence. Then he was always on edge, not able to stop himself from having a bunch of sappy thoughts floating his old cunucklehead.

Like how much Logan liked her smile, or enjoyed her laugh, how beautiful he thought her deep emerald eyes, framed by her luscious lashes, were.

And of course, the far less sappy, as noticed how damn hot and sexy she was without even trying. Every time Logan had to fight to keep his eyes from checking her out, her long, crimson hair, her delicious curves, legs that went on forever, the enticing swell of her large, firm breasts.

And when Logan felt her heated gaze fall on him in return, or caught scent of Jean's arousal, his heart began to thunder at breakneck speed, his blood pounding through his veins. Those moments had pushed his control to it's limits.

Only the repeated mantras that Logan had to keep his distance to keep her safe, and telling himself Jean attraction was just a passing phase, nothing more, that she wasn't in love with him, allowed him to cope.

Logan had known he couldn't have denied Jean if she felt anything like he did, no matter his other convictions. So he'd onto that belief like a life raft.

Then had come the night out to Harry Hideaway, and the meeting by the lake afterwards and Jean had blown both that belief and his reasons for keeping her at a distance to smithereens. She'd smashed through all the walls Logan had carefully built to keep them apart like a wreaking ball.

Now, Logan didn't know what to do. Everything had changed. Every fibre of his being wanted to be with Jean, and Logan no longer had any reason for keeping his distance now.

Now that he knew she loved him, and wanted to be with him, Logan couldn't have stayed away if he tried.

There would always be dangers, but those would remain whether Logan was with Jean or not. Jean was right, even if his loving her put her in danger from his enemies, they come no matter what. it would be better therefore if Logan were by Jean's side than not.

The fears would always be there, but it was better to face them, then let them rule him like he'd let them all these years. Logan had just been too lost in the distortions they had cast over his mind to ever really see it.

Problem now was though that for so long Logan either couldn't be with Jean, was trying to move on from her, mourning her or he'd been doing his best to keep his distance from her.

Now that Logan was actually free to be with Jean he didn't have first clue what to actually do about it. And it would take time to overcome his ingrained habits of hiding his feelings and keeping his distance from her.

Logan had tried a few times over the last few days to approach her, but ultimately had chickened out. Give him a murderous sentinel, mutant madman, Brood Queen or Pierce and Yuriko any day. Ever since M'iko Logan guessed he was still gun-shy when it came to matters of the heart.

Particularly if it involved Jeannie.

And once again his brain was fixated on the redhead psionic even when he needed to focus on other things, Logan sighed.

Logan smirked for a moment. Yuriko, now there was a woman, if you could still call her that, with which he shared a completely uncomplicated relationship with. She only wanted him for his skeleton.

All out of some twisted form of duty to her deceased father Lord Dark Wind, who'd reputedly invented the adamantium bonding process that put the mythic metal into his bones in the first place. And Yuriko was convinced whoever shoved it into him, had stolen to procedure from her father.

And ever since had been determined to rip the skeleton from his body, throwing her humanity away in the process, making him the target of a vendetta that had nothing really to do with him at all.

Lady definitely wasn't playing with a full deck. But at least all they ever had to say to each other was at the point of razor-keen adamantium, taking the ride down to claw city together.

Not that had any idea who had shoved the stuff into him, or taken large chucks of his past from him. Had given up caring about it a long time ago. He didn't seem likely to find any answers, and whoever had done never seemed to show any interest in him, assuming they were still alive.

But recently the mystery he had long given up on, had began to reveal hints of itself. It had began when Logan had first met the new and improved Warren Worthington III, something in his new scent had triggered some forgotten memory of white-hot pain beyond comprehension, beyond enduring. Given all the other crazy shit happening then, Marauders, Sinister and the demonic invasion of Manhattan, Logan hadn't really had any time to dwell on it.

However, after that Logan had woken up numerous times in a cold sweat, heart hammering away in his chest, adrenaline jacked through his system, as intense fear and panic gripped him like a icy cold hand around his heart. The memory and feel of that agony lay thick around him, even though Logan could remember nothing of the dream he'd had.

It wasn't like Logan could talk to Flyboy about it. To say the two weren't on each others Christmas lists was an understatement.

At least they had learnt to tolerate each other by this point, and has respect for each other. They'd work together and have each others' backs on the rare times they were team-up together. The familial bonds of being X-Men trumped any other sentiments, but that was far as it went. They certainly weren't going to be sitting down over a brew and opening up over their most traumatic memories.

And to be fair to Warren, Logan doubted he was ready to really talk to most people about it. And that was something Logan completely got, whatever other issues lay between them.

Anyway, Logan had mostly forgot about it, aside from a few bad dreams he could never remember, until Times Square. There during an all-out clawathon between Creed, Yuriko, the Hunter in Darkness and himself, a woman who had a real hate-on for the Hunter began pumping them all full of mercury-tipped bullets. Something about the heavy metal in his system had triggered of the same memories of pain as Warren's scent had, alongside a strange hallucination of a nightmare landscape of jagged, blood-red spikes, like twisted, giant thorns screaming in agony. From the dark shadows a voice spoke, commanding, but Logan couldn't make out what it said.

The experiences of the hallucinations became incorporated into his disturbed dreams, shadowy voices haunting him through half-remembered dreams of pain, suffering and death. Waking up Logan remembers flashes from his dreams of himself, dressed in midnight black armour, mercilessly killing, in hunts and battles Logan couldn't remember, full of unrestrained savagery and darkness. It was more than just the berserker rage, the beast, that Logan was familiar with now. In those visions, it was as though man and the beast were one, all the merciless savagely, power and killer rage of the berserker, untied with the cold, cunning and calculating mind of a ruthless and skilled killer.

Logan had no idea what reality there was, if any, to any of these disturbing flashes. Where they genuine insights into something from one of the black areas of his past, something real connected with whatever had happened to him that had boned his skeleton with one of hardest substances in the whole universe, or were they just wild imaginings of his fevered dreams?

Logan had no idea, once again brought face to face with the frustrating questions his mysterious past threw at him. So many times Logan had never known if something was actually a real clue to something important, or just another red herring.

Still, something about the flashes, much like the remembered pain, had felt real. And for the first time in years, Logan began to wonder about just who put the adamantium into him, and for what purpose. If they were still around, were they still interested in him, and were those flashes an indication of any danger to those he cared about?

Logan had no idea. He guessed there should be no immediate danger. After all it had been years since Heather and Mac had found him, and nothing had come from him, nothing had happened in all that time. Why would it change now?

Still, something about it all sent a shiver down his unbreakable spine.

At first, it had all provided yet another reason to keep everyone away from him. But, what if going it alone, isolating himself, was the very thing that could leave him vulnerable to the legacy of his past.

Again, assuming Logan had anything worry about in the first place.

Damn it, Logan thought. It was like one of those self-fulfilling prophesies, he might end up causing the very thing he wanted to avoid. Logan was chasing his own tail over it all, and getting nowhere. It was beginning to drive him crazy. It was why he stopped caring about it all in the first place.

Maybe he should talk to someone about it, have a chat to Chuck, maybe Jeannie as well. Logan was always used to dealing with his problems on his own, not relying on anyone. It was a hard habit to change. Letting people into his life was still difficult for him, learning to trust people that much. Still it felt good to know there people ready to back him up if need be.

Logan chuckled, once again, his thoughts returned to Jean, like a song he couldn't get out of his head.

Besides, Logan thought, holding up his hand, as it faded momentarily, becoming pale, ghostly-white, before solidifying again, he had more concrete issues to deal with, than worries from phantom dreams and unknown pasts.

Thanks to Cortez and the merger with Kitty, his healing factor and enhanced physical abilities were back to full force after Pierce's tender welcome back in the Outback had left it weakened and in low-gear.

That was all good as it went, Logan had never gotten used to his weakened state. It had ended up nearly getting him killed a few times, his body only just coping with things Logan would normally have taken in his stride. So being back to full power was a good thing for him and the team.

It was getting used to this new ghosting ability that was driving him up the wall. Or rather through it.

Logan had a whole new appreciation for what Kitty went through in getting used to her phasing abilities, particularly the first couple of days. The first morning afterwards, when he'd taken a shower only to find himself ending up the rec room with Rogue, LeBeau, Kurt, Betsy and Petey had been a day he'd rather erase from his mind and everyone else's. After the initial surprise, LeBeau remarked with a grin, "it's good you, mon ami, but perhaps not so much of you."

As all laughed and Rogue, had added giggling, "well look on the bright side, sugar. At least no one well ever call ya little again, Wolvie."

With nothing left but to brass it out, Logan had winked at her as he took a table cloth to wrap around his midsection and had replied chuckling, "you know their ain't nothin' little about me, darlin' side's my height," before making his way back to his room, trying to avoid giving anyone else a show.

Add that to dropping and plates and cups through his hands, flying through his Harley, right into the ground, before Kitty helped him out, that first week had been rough.

And Rogue and Kitty he never forgot the shower incident.

Still, he'd finally gotten enough control over it to be able to function normally, and be out and about. Logan was still far from confident it using it though, and just hoped that this was all that resulted from his merger of his power with Kitty's. So far thankfully, nothing negative had resulted from it, and Logan hoped that it would remain the case.

This power wasn't as strong as Kitty's own. Logan wasn't able to phase anything else that wasn't immediately close to his body, like his clothes, unlike Kitty who could phase anything she touched up to a certain size. Logan was grateful for at least that much. Would have been a pretty inconvenient power if he had to run around naked all the time when he used it.

The other drawback for both Kitty and himself now, was that the healing factor they now both had, didn't work when they were phased or ghosted, or whatever the hell he was going to call what he now did. Something they would both need to bear in mind, as using it with a serious injury could be bad news.

Something more for Kitty to remember right now, than himself, given Logan was still wearing his training wheels with it, but still.

Then there was the other question the merger raised. The bone claws that had grown in place of the adamantium ones Kitty now had, or the bone claws she had developed. Similar to Creed's claws, but longer, they were composed of ultra-dense bone. But if he had them, did that mean he had always had them? If that was so, why didn't he remember it?

More questions without answers. For now Logan tended to leave the middle claws sheathed in his forearms, relying on two stronger adamantium laced and coated ones.

For all these reasons Logan was actually glad when that message had arrived for him at the mansion, asking him to met here. It gave Logan something else to focus on then his relationship with Jean, Kitty or anyone else at the mansion, his mysterious past or new powers.

What had intrigued Logan, and brought him out here tonight, was the person asking to meet him was one Patch, and so he'd decided to go.

Whoever they were, they not only used one of his aliases to call him out, but to a bar were Creed had once killed the woman Francie hunting him. Logan had never even told of the X-Men about that night, so whoever it was knew quite a bit about him.

Logan took another careful sip of his drink as he scanned the bar, and it's patrons. Everything was beginning to feel a bit too much like that night, as Logan waited, back against the wall, for the other shoe to drop.

So far, nothing had happened, but Logan was sure that would change.

He considered who it might be that wanted to lure him out here. Despite the history, Logan had largely ruled out Sabretooth. Cryptic cards and this kind of subterfuge wasn't really his style.

Not that Creed ever had any, Logan chuckled to himself.

Didn't seem to be a Pierce or Deathstrike scheme either. Logan considered the Hand, but that didn't like their MO. Someone from Madripoor maybe, still Prince Baran wouldn't care, and Coy would be happy enough Logan was out of his hair most of the time, and Bloodscream would be unlikely to do anything without his master's say so. Viper maybe, in revenge for Harada? But to be honest, Harada had left her, and if Madame Hydra had wanted revenge she would have done something about it long before now.

Interrupting his musings, one of the bartenders, a large middle-aged Middle Eastern man with a thick, black beard, approached his table and said, "excuse me, sir. Someone left this note for someone fitting your description. I'm afraid I didn't see you until just now."

"No problems, bub," Logan replied, taking the note.

As the bartender left him, Logan opened the note. Logan, I need your help. Meet me outside in the alley behind. Jean Grey, it read.

Logan raised his eyebrow at the note. He wondered who they were trying to kid. The handwriting wasn't Jean's, and the note didn't have her scent, and it certainly didn't match her style.

If Jeannie had wanted to meet him, she would have said so.

Then, just as Logan was about to finish his drink and check out the alley, and see where this rabbit hole lead, he caught the distinctive feminine scent and heartbeat of the very woman in question approaching the bar.

Now Logan really was surprised. Judging from the frustration and anger radiating from her scent and heartbeat, mixed in with an underlying hint of anxiety, Logan guessed she had no idea about the merry chase he'd been sent on.

Also looked like he was going to have to face what was going on between him and Jean after all, assuming her actual entrance into this situation didn't cause everything to go sideways.

Either way, the upside was that it looked like he was going to have back-up tonight after all.

Logan scanned the clientele and staff, but could pick up nothing out of the ordinary. No one was paying him or the door any particular attention. No spikes in adrenaline, fear or anticipation from any of them. So far, no change, no hint of a threat from any of them.

Then the door swung open as Jean burst through the entrance, and Logan's breath caught, and eyes near popped out of his sockets, as he forgot everything else for a moment at the sight of her.

Jean was a stunning vision in a purple figure-hugging satin corseted mini dress, with sheer mesh sleeves, a low back and a plugging V-neckline that proudly displayed her ample cleavage. A small slit along the left side of her dress only served to highlight her long, perfectly toned and silky legs, finished of with barely there heels as Jean made her way towards him.

Her long, flowing crimson hair framed her exquisitely beautiful face as it cascaded around her shoulders. Her captivating emerald eyes had locked with his own, her heated gaze transfixing Logan for a moment with the combination of determination, love, passion and anger he could feel burning there.

Logan blood surged like molten lava within his veins, his desire blazing hot within him at the sight of her, which was only compounded as her intoxicating scent thickened around him.

Hell, Logan thought. He'd seen Jean in her short her classic short green mini dress and skin-tight body suit outfits, but this was different. Still the right side of classy and elegant as you'd expect with Jean, but damn she was hot as hell. I didn't think she'd even have such a get-up, let alone wear it, Logan thought further.

Proves you don't know everything about me, despite thinking you know what's good for me, Jean replied to his thoughts, chuckling.

Logan noticed the bar had gone quiet, the bombshell Jean was turning the heads of all the men and most of the women, whether out of admiration, envy or desire, as well, as she sashayed her way towards him. Logan bit down a low growl of warning that rumbled from deep within his chest, as jealousy spiked irrationally through him.

Strange emotion for someone who wants me to move on and find someone else, Jean commented as she arrived by his table. Perhaps you should do something about it Logan, she challenged, as she sat down at his table next to him, her hand reaching across to claim his own with a sure confidence that once again had Logan feeling a little stunned and off-base.

Jean's fingers intertwined with his own, coming to rest along the most dangerous part of him, the very knuckles his claws burst free from.

Logan got the message without Jean even saying anything. She was conveying her absolute trust not only that Logan wouldn't hurt her, but that Jean also wasn't worried over any other dangers that might come her way over him. Logan also noticed the bar patrons weren't taking much notice of them anymore.

He raised his eyebrow at Jean.

"Yes to both," Jean replied. "I'm only interested in a audience of one, so a little telepathic nudge and everyone will give us our privacy. And yes, understand there are dangers that come your way, and that you have enemies. But so do I. There still the question of the Phoenix that still hangs over me, am I free of it? Or will it come back one day? Would you let me face any of that alone?"

"You know I wouldn't darlin'," Logan said fiercely. "I'd stand by you however I could, in whatever way I could."

"And that's my answer as well," Jean answered. "I'm not afraid of any of your dangers, and I'm more than capable of facing them beside you."

Jean fixed Logan with a fierce look, her face flushed, and added, "and I've had with you avoiding and running away from me for the last few days. I've been worried, anxious, and lonely missing you every day, all because you couldn't at least say hi to me. You really hurt me, you asshole. Ever since I've come back, with everything changed, I've lost so much. Time, relationships and people, and there's always been the fear that the Phoenix might return to take more, and there's been nothing I I've been able to do about it. But through it all I've found new things too, and one of them has been you. And I'm not going to let your stupid bullshit reasons, fears and hung-ups get in way of what we feel for each other. I'm done with having more things taken away from either of us, so we're going to deal with this and get past your hung-ups. Time's up buddy, we'll take it as slow as you like, but it's time to stop messing around. If you don't want to see me hurt, then stop avoiding me, and cutting me out of your life."

"Ah, damn, Jeannie," Logan replied, heart constricting a little at the hurt in her voice, "I never meant to hurt you". Logan squeezed her hand in comfort. "Sorry, guess I've been a world class dickhead, haven't I?"

Jean chuckled, her fury vanishing as quickly as it came. "Yes, you have 'bub'," Jean added. For a moment there was silence between them, Jean's emerald eyes still holding Logan's captive, almost seeming to fill his vision, as they became tender and full of confused compassion.

Then Jean asked, "so why have you been avoiding me completely? I realize things might be a bit awkward and different between us after our chat at the lake, but that seems to take a little too far. You've never been one to hide or run away from anything."

Logan scratched the back of his head sheepishly, before gulping a little as Jean lent forward towards him, giving him a generous view of Jean's impressive décolletage. Logan's eyes instinctively snapping down, caught by the luscious vision.

At lusty giggle from Jean Logan shot back at her face, Jean's green eyes now smouldering with passion, desire and amusement, having just caught him blatantly checking her out.

Jean's heated gaze seared him as her fingers began to trace circles on the back of his hand, Logan, you're making me blush, Jean laughed husky into his mind.

Logan's heart thundered in his chest, his blood felt like it was boiling, as his body responded, his pants beginning to feel uncomfortable tight.

The animal within began to howl within him, desperate to break free and claim her as his own. With Jean's heady scent, now tinged with arousal, all around him, her breath-taking beauty filling his vision, his hearing filled to her thundering heartbeat and rapid breathing, and the electric touch of her soft, silky fingers sending intense and pleasurable sparks through him as they moved up to caress his arm, his senses were immersed in all things Jeannie. Logan felt as though he was drowning in her even as he was drowning in the endless deeps of her emerald eyes.

The air grew heavy and electric between them, Jean having somehow moved close next to him. Logan found himself drawn magnetically towards her, as her full lips turned in a playful smirk.

Jean remarked innocently, "you were saying?", even as her fingers moved to his chest, gliding across it in torturous feather-like touches. They burnt circular trails into his flesh through his shirt, only inflaming his already blazing desire, and Logan was finding it difficult to breathe, the temptation becoming nearly irresistible. And no one at the bar was paying them the slightest bit of attention thanks to Jean's telepathic gifts cloaking the two of them.

Damn it, Logan thought, she was doing it on purpose. A low growl of frustrated desire torn unbidden from her throat, as he sought to bring himself back under control.

I don't know what you're talking about, Jean chuckled teasingly in his mind. Now, tell me why, Jean continued more seriously, her hand falling back to his, fingers once more interlacing with his own. Jean leaned back a little, the intense atmosphere subsiding a little as Jean took mercy on him and relented teasing him for the moment.

Logan sighed in frustration, still too wired to put a coherent sentence together and just let Jean scan his thoughts on the issue.

Jean's eyebrow shot up in surprise, "you wanted to but just didn't know how to approach me?" the redhead psionic asked incredulously. "So instead you avoided me. Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds, we're not twelve you know."

"Yeah I know Red," Logan growled in frustration. "I'm aware that I ain't exactly bein' mature here, but I no good at all this kinda feelin'stuff. Add what happened with M'iko into it an' I admit, I'm a bit gun-shy. An' with everythin' shiftin' between us, all the old unspoken rules flyin' out the window, makes it difficult. You were right okay, Jeannie. Everythin' you said that night. But after years it's takin' time even to adjust how I act to everyone else, I just didn't even know where to start with you, Jeannie."

Jean just looked at him for a moment like he had suddenly grown a second head, one that was obviously drooling, before she broke out laughing.

Pearls of warm laughter washed over him, and Logan sensing all the tension, uncertainty and anxiety subtly radiating off of her vanish with her laughter.

"Yeah, yeah," Logan grumbled good-naturedly.

Jean laid her head on his shoulder, "why did I have to fall for such an idiot," she chuckled, her laughter subsiding a little. "Who knew the Wolverine was intimidated by anything, let alone love. We start just like this you silly man," and pulled his hand into her lap, her other snaking around his arm, as she snuggled contentedly into him.

For a moment Logan just basked in the moment, content to just enjoy Jean's presence, not thinking of anything else. Then his eyes fell across the note on the table, and like a dash of cold water, Logan remembered why he was here.

Jean looked up at him, concerned, picking up on his change in mood.

"What is it?" Jean whispered.

"Why don't we blow this pop stand an' get out of here darlin'," Logan answered instead, pulling Jean up with him as he got to his feet, and then took his coat off the back of his chair and put it back on, taking Jean's hand again.

I'll fill you in as we go for walk outside. I wasn't exactly just avoiding you tonight, Logan thought at Jean as he lead her out of the bar.

Why do I have the feeling you were going all lone wolf and jumping face first into danger with no backup or even telling anyone about it, Jean sighed.

Logan chuckled, well, you're here now, so looks like backup took care of itself. Though you might wanna watch the dress, don't know how messy this is gonna get.

Jean rolled her eyes but laughed, don't worry I'll manage somehow. Not exactly how I envisioned this night going, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. At least I won't need any of your special impromptu tailoring this time.

Both remembered the time Lang had kidnapped Sean and themselves, Jean still dressed in her black evening gown from her date with Scott, when she'd been trying to tear the dress so she could run after Logan had just freed the three of them. Logan had torn the lower half of her gown off with a sudden, single pull, turning it into a mini dress with a cocky "ain't no trouble at all Red. All you gotta do is... " . One of the more light-hearted memories from that terrible time that lead to Phoenix.

"Nope," Logan whistled, looking down at Jean's fantastic legs, smirking a little. "You most definitely won't be needin' that particular service tonight, pretty lady."

"Quit it, mister," Jean laughed, slapping his arm playfully, before wrapping her arms around it, pulling herself close to him, head resting lightly on his shoulder again.

So what's the story, Logan? Jean asked.

Well, looks like we're gonna have that date in the alley after all, Red, Logan thought back, chuckling at the bemused expression she threw him, before allowing her to read the rest of the details from his mind.